PENSACOLA — The Panhandle Pilot Program will focus on lionfish removal efforts off Escambia, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa, Walton, Bay, Gulf and Franklin counties, where lionfish can be found in high densities.
For every 100 lionfish checked in from this seven-county region between May 2016 and May 2017, the harvester will be eligible to receive a tag allowing them to take a legal-sized red grouper or a legal-sized cobia that is over the bag limit from state waters.
The state will issue 100 red grouper and 30 cobia tags to successful participants. In addition, the first 10 persons or groups who check in 500 or more lionfish during this one-year period will earn the opportunity to name an artificial reef.
To qualify for this program, tails of any lionfish harvested must be brought to an approved FWC checkpoint (list coming soon to MyFWC.com/Lionfish by clicking on “Lionfish Challenge and Panhandle Pilot Program”).
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Panhandle Pilot Program champions lionfish removal efforts